Had a good week of some meetings with independant film directors and one with the casting people at VH1 for some hosting and "clip show" gigs (you know, stuff like "I love the 80's" and "Best Week Ever" type shows). All were very nice and the meetings seemed to go very well. Fun stuff all around.
July is fast approaching and I'm trying to push my artist Jeff to get the pages done for 60 we need to take down to Comic-Con. If anyone who reads this will be down there, let me know! I've been invited to play in a poker tournament on the Saturday of the convention with Jim Lee and other comic pros, so that should be a lot of fun. What better way to network than to take people's money by sucking out on the river?
I've added some new links to the "recommended reading" section so check them out and tell 'em I sent ya!
Also, if you're on My Space you can look me up at my new My Space Comedy site here if you're into that sort of thing.
Other than that, I plan on eating, drinking and playing some poker this fine Memorial Day weekend...have a great, safe weekend!
I would gather that about 90% of the people that visit this site have never went on an audition before, so I thought I'd take a few minutes and try to describe what the process is like.
It's a lot like a job interview, only worse.
There are a lot of factors that go into an audition such as talent, look and just a general sense of "is this guy/girl and ass". They all matter and sometimes none of them do.
Unlike a normal job interview, the best person doesn't always get the gig. You may rock in the audition but also are a foot taller than the insecure star you would be supporting. Or maybe the cast already has 5 blonde people and they want to go with a redhead or brunette to even out the look. You might be too fat, too thin, look a little too young or old...there are many reasons why you may or may not book gig. This is why you really just have to control the things you can control, go in prepared and kick ass and then just forget about it. After that, it's out of your hands.
And really, that's the ultimate secret of auditioning...that you're not there to book THAT part. I know it sounds weird and contradictory, but it's true. When you go in to read for a casting director, you're job as it stands isn't necessarily to book that part you're going in for. If you do, hey that's fantastic, God bless, but there is another goal that should be first and foremost for you...to get brought back.
Your main job when you audition is to go in prepared, do a kick ass job and make an impression on the casting director so that you get put on their short list of people that they will call in regularly. Booking that particular job doesn't matter so much because if they like your work they will either have you read for something else on that project or just keep calling you in until they get something that is perfect for you and get you work. The vast majority of CDs I've read for have been very supportive and genuinely want to see you do really well. The few that take a liking to you will fight for you with producers and directors. You just have to go in and do the job.
The job itself, though, is a weird, awkward animal in it's own right. You want to be "off book" (have the lines memorized) but at the same time not be too rehearsed. Even if you know the scene backwards and forward you still bring in the sides to hold as it sets everyone in the room at ease (in case you forget due to nerves you can just glance down). You don't want to have too finished a performance because people want to know you can be redirected and shaped into their vision of the part but at the same time you want to have a definite direction and stake for your character so it doesn't come off flat and as if you haven't made any choices.
You go in and read with the CD or a reader and it can be a mixed bag. There are some who really get into it and are great to read and play and connect with. There are others that have their face down in the page and never make eye contact during the entire scene...but that's not their job. It's not their job to connect and give you stuff during the read. It's your job to connect with them, to create a world and create moments and show your stuff.
It's exciting, exhilarating, terrifying, nerve-wracking, awful and wonderful all at the same time. Those times when you really nail it and have fun and play...those are worth all of the bad times put together.
Sorry for the lack of updates last week. Some weeks I just let it slip past me. The site is getting an all time high of hits these past months so I'd like to thank everyone for taking a few minutes out of your day to read it.
I've had some auditions the past two weeks and have been really happy about that. I seem to go in spurts where I'll get a bunch, book something and then I'll have a little dry spell. I'd like to work it so I'm just constantly auditioning...that would be nice.
The auditions were interesting, one being for a play (I was thinking to myself, 'man, I'd love to do a play and do some live theater' and a few days later get a call from my manager saying: 'hey, you wanna audition for a play?'). The director of the play ended up being a comic from Boston so that was cool. He was one of the comics that was a part of the mass exodus to NY and LA as I was beginning my standup career so I believe we may have worked together once or twice early on, but certainly nothing substantial. The part I was reading for was for a 50 year old doctor but for some reason the casting director wanted me to come in and read and if they liked it enough they would rewrite the part (although with only 4 weeks until the production is actually running, I can't see them taking the time out to rewrite it) for me.
I just went in there and did my thing and afterwards got: "Uh, wow, that was really good." I felt really good about the audition although I don't think I booked it. I know when I'm lacking in a performance and when I "bring it", and this time it was definitely the latter. If I don't get it, I'll just chalk it up to them having to rewrite the part to put me in and I'll move on from there.
I'm excited that something seems to have shifted and auditions are starting to pour in. I'm looking for a new commercial agent as well since my old one closed it's doors (in a really sudden and surprising move). I have some meetings and some recommendations and that vacancy should be filled very soon. I have a good feeling that things are changing and moving forward...I've never been good with change but I think I need to get good at it.
It's never pleasant going through it, but the end result is usually so much better than what you expect.
People ask me why I don't do a lot of standup in LA...
Here's an email I got today...and you wonder why I don't really "chase" doing standup in Los Angeles:
JERAMI'S Sports Bar and Grill - Sunday Comedy Night
Free hot dogs and soft drinks for all comedians that perform this Sunday. (Maybe, we can get steak some day.)
Also, there will be a "Gas Money" drawing for $25. Perform and put your name in the hat. Should have a crowd for this one 3-4 companies are sending groups.
I've been doing standup professionally for almost 12 years. I've opened for Barenaked Ladies, Dave Chapelle, Alan Jackson. I've gotten standing ovations at colleges and was one of the top requested college acts in New England at one time.
And none of that matters. Put your name in the hat.
This is absolutely hysterical. Is that really how they humble people in the old country? Remind me never to get cocky in Iran! WARNING: This is pretty explicit. Viewer discretion is advised!
Have you seen the trailers for United 93 yet? They're awful. If you haven't heard, United 93 is a retelling of the 9/11 flight where the passengers retake the plane from the terrorists and crashed the plane as to not hit it's intended target.
Conspiracy theories aside (I still have a strong belief that the plane was most likely shot down by the US but that's a tale for another time), this was a very heroic act by a group of people thrust into an extraordinary situation. I don't, however, think a theatrical feature film is the way to honor them.
To make it all worse, the trailers for this movie aren't even really trailers. It's the filmmakers telling you why you need to go see this movie, making you feel guilty and parading the survivors' families. In reality, it's more of a disclaimer that pleads with the movie going audience that "we're not really exploiting this". It makes me uncomfortable.
I was in Boston when the whole thing went down. I'll never forget that day. I mostly remember the silence. I was in downtown Boston that night (my acting teacher at the time decided to still have class in an effort to give people something to do to get away from their TV sets for a little while) and there were barely any cars on the streets and no people. Just silence and emptiness.
I lived a town over from Hanscom Airforce Base and during the night heard a jet plane roar over head. Not even thinking, I ran to my front door and looked up. I felt a pang of fear in my gut. I then figured it was a plane from the base and went back to bed. I don't ever want to feel that again.
